IS IT TRUE that the vigor with which Mayor Winnecke and his minions have been pursuing the downgraded downtown convention hotel would be best described by the term “aggressive mediocrity”?… Time and time again elected officials in Evansville have promised champagne and delivered a 12 pack of rot gutt beer?…that is exactly what the downtown hotel project has morphed into after 80 months of delusion and deception?…going forward with a motel that is delivering a class of service and accommodations that is more typical of the “leaving the light on” brand than a real 4 Star brand is a desperate politically driven attempt to rescue a failed administration?…with a medical school on the horizon the best thing to do with the hotel is to put it on the shelf and wait until the medical school attracts a real hotel worthy of a real downtown?

IS IT TRUE the Evansville Convention and Visitor’s Bureau was successful in attracting a young educated professional to take the job managing the new ballfield complex on the northeast side, but it wasn’t successful in keeping him for long?…after 3 months on the job, Dennis Hodges, who came to Evansville from South Carolina has resigned and headed to Georgia for a job he liked better?…all of the official words that have emerged from the CVB have been positive for the ballfields complex’s first year of operation?…if that is true and we will know when the season starts if it really is true, there must have been something about life in River City that drove Mr. Hodges decision to leave after just 3 months?

IS IT TRUE in another highly visible resignation, GAGE President Debbie Dewey who was a strong supporter of the $5 Million Dollar Earthcare Energy LLC fiasco has announced her departure after four and a half years on the job?…Dewey has stated that she is leaving for an “offer she couldn’t refuse” but did not disclose her destination?…she did tease the media by opining that an announcement is forthcoming so “stay tuned”?

IS IT TRUE it didn’t take the mainstream media long to dig up some skeletons in the closet of inventor turned Mayoral candidate Steven Wozniak?…about as quick as he started floating trial balloons the news about back taxes, a bankruptcy, and a past conviction were trumpeted for all to see?…politics is a dirty game and Mr. Wozniak should have known going in that there would be no mercy?…it will be interesting to see if he sticks with it and gets his name on the ballot?…he is a colorful character with lots of ideas and would certainly spice up the debates if he were invited to join the stage with Mayor Winnecke and Representative Riecken?

IS IT TRUE that the Affordable Housing Trust Fund was established by the City Council in May of 2002 with $1 million in starting funds after lobbying efforts by Congregations Acting for Justice and Empowerment (CAJE) exposed an affordable housing crisis in the City of Evansville? …that the ordinance can be found starting at Chapter 3.35.010? …that the fund was to be administered by the Department of Metropolitan Development? …that an 11 member advisory committee was to make recommendations to the City regarding the development of policies and procedures for the uses of the Fund and long-term sources of capital for the Fund, including revenue (development ordinances, fees or taxes), financial market based income, private sources and grants, gifts, donations, etc. from government programs, foundations or corporations? …that the funds were to be used to provide financial assistance to low income individuals and families purchasing or leasing residential units, to make loans, grants and loan guarantees related to the development of affordable housing and to provide technical assistance to nonprofit developers of affordable housing?  …that the ordinance contemplates the Fund’s assets being invested and generating investment income to be used along with other funds generated by the Department of Metropolitan Development pursuant to the policies and procedures laid out by the advisory committee?  …that today, the Fund has a mere $30,000 in assets?…that the Department of Metropolitan Development has failed to act to preserve the assets of the Fund or operate the Fund in a sustainable manner?…that the Fund meant to grow and operate as a Trust is all but gone?  …that CAJE in learning that the Fund no longer had meaningful assets has met with City officials to ask questions about the fate of the money?…that to date, the City has been unable to explain why the Fund is essentially no more, and without making any sizable dent in the unmet need for affordable housing in the City of Evansville?  …that the Winnecke Administration’s lack of any real plan for moving Evansville forward is awkwardly apparent as officials stand around and point fingers at one another related to the demise of this Fund?

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